Winner!
On our Ravelry board, Handicraft Cafe recently hosted a KAL for Pfieffer Falls, Anne’s gorgeous pattern that appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of Interweave Knits. We had a blast watching so many people work on their scarves- it’s always interesting to see how different yarn choices and colors make every project unique.
Because we love our knitters so much, we decided to throw in a raffle for everybody who participated. The winner would receive a “Crafty Bag of Goodness” valued at over $75. Last week we finally drew the winner’s name, and we were thrilled to notify the winner- a really fantastic knitter who goes by Faerhart on Ravelry!
Curious to see what Faerhart won? I won’t make you wait any longer.
Yeah, she won some nice stuff- 2 skeins of Frog Tree Alpaca Sport, 1 sheet of Flat Feet, 1 skein of Riverstone by Louet (a whopping 193 yards of merino wool goodness), some samples of our favorite fiber wash, Soak, and three of our favorite patterns- The Skinny on Lace scarf, the Cable That! bag by Gardiner Yarn Works and our own pattern, Threesome, designed by Anne.
We hope that Faerhart likes her prize and we’re looking forward to starting another KAL soon!
Knitting saves lives
As a Southern California native, I know the importance of always having an emergency kit nearby in case of earthquake. But when I read about this 98 year old grandma being rescued after spending two days buried alive after that horrific earthquake in Italy, I did find another reason to always make sure I have a WIP with me as well.
Our condolences go out to the many victims of this tragedy.
Semi-Sweetness
There are times when you want crazy, in-your-face variegated color madness. Big, bold splashes of contrasting hues that knit up into electric stripes and stitches. And that’s good.
But then there are days when you want something softer, something sweeter, something that makes you feel like you’re laying in a warm bubble bath whenever you look at it. Those are the days that you reach for a good semi-solid yarn.
Personally, I’ve been on a major semi-solid kick for the past few weeks. Maybe it’s because I just finished a rainbow-hued entrelac scarf using a particularly colorful variety of Southwest Trading Company’s Karaoke, which by the way is fantastic if you ever have the urge for entrelac. Or maybe it’s because I’m getting older and more mature and don’t need bright splashes of color to feed my perpetual ADHD.
But really, it’s probably because I just spent some time ooh-ing and ahh-ing over one of our newest yarns- Noblesse by Zitron.
Just look at those colors! Gentle changes in gradient knit up into a fabric that is one hundred times richer than your typical solid. If you want your next project to POP- whether it’s a simple cowl, some fancy gloves or an entire sweater- spice it up with a semi-solid yarn like Noblesse.
Noblesse is a luxurious blend of 70% merino wool and 30% silk, so not only is it beautiful, it feels like heaven against your skin. Use it for a special gift for somebody who understands the value of a handmade present, or treat yourself to something really special.
To top it off, Noblesse is a super-versatile DK/light worsted weight yarn, so you can use it for just about anything. Grab some size 5-7 needles and get to work!
Baby Fever
Baby garments are always popular, but after a while, you start to get sick of doin the same old booties and beanies over and over again. Why not spice up your knitting with some truly adorable garments and exciting blankets like the ones found in Mission Falls Wee Knits booklet?
(Shown: Bubbles Blanket, Powell)
Wee Knits features 12 designs for infants and young toddlers by Megs Kandis. If you’re anything like us, you’ll find yourself squealing a little as you leaf through the full color booklet- the garments (and the models) are just too cute for words.
(Shown: Checky, Girly)
Each pattern uses Mission Falls 1824 Cotton or Cotton Whirl, but they can also be knit up in Mission Falls 1824 Wool. Both yarn options are machine washable, so you never have to worry about hand-washing these designs- a key point for busy parents.
(Shown: Loopy, Bob Blankie)
If you’ve ever wanted to knit a full-size sweater, but you think it’s too hard or complicated, try a baby sweater first. It’s a quick knit, especially on aran-weight yarn like Mission Falls 1824 Wool or Cotton, but it still allows you to move through all the steps of knitting any other sweater or cardigan. It’s a great learning experience and you end up with a gift that will eventually be a family heirloom.
Playtime!
Sometimes you want to sit down and knit an intricate sweater on size 3 needles that you know is goin to require intense concentration for hours on end. And that’s good. But there are also times when you want to sit down and make something that is quick and FUN! And we have the perfect answer to that craving:
Meet Peg, part of one of the new pattern collections from Gardiner Yarn Works. We are thrilled to be one of the few stores carrying PDF downloads of Gardiner Yarn Works’ patterns and are in the process of adding a BUNCH of Chrissy Gardiner’s fantabulous patterns to our collection. However, once I saw Peg, and some of these other too-cute-for-words plus patterns, I had to share them with you as soon as possible.
Peg is part of a collection of knitted toys by Katie Park, aka Caffaknitted, designed exclusively for Gardiner Yarn Works. Each toy is easy to knit, even for a relatively new knitter, and is a great chance to use up odds and ends of yarn you have laying around. Add in some adorable and easy-to-do embroidery and felt details, and you’ll have the perfect gift for just about anybody.
If any of these adorable patterns catch your interest, or if you would like to look at some of Chrissy’s other super-cute designs, browse around at HandicraftCafe.com!
Ovine Economic Stimulus Package (SALE!)
When times get tough, the tough get stitching.
And we’re here to help make sure that happens.
Starting today, Handicraft Cafe is excited to announce that we are lowering the prices on two of our favorite yarns- Ozark Handspun and Unikat by Zitron!
Unikat is a bulky, felted 100% merino yarn that boasts some of the prettiest colors we’ve ever seen. Since it’s manufactured by Zitron, you know that you are getting the highest quality possible- this yarn is soft enough to wear righit next to your skin, and Zitron still calls it a “felting yarn!” It IS great for felting, but don’t hesitate in using it for scarves, garments and wraps and shawls as well! You might just want to buy a couple of skeins to cuddle with at night.
Since we think Unikat is perfect for warm winter knits, we’re marking it down 20%! Regularly priced at $27.95, each 100 g skein (that’s 175 yards!) is only $22.36. This price is only good while supplies last, so place your orders ASAP!
Ozark Handspun is true “art yarn.” Each skein of 50% wool and 50% mohair is hand-dyed and hand-spun by the one and only David Gentzsch in Jefferson City, Montana. There is literally nothing else like it on the market today- trust me, once you hold these fanciful skeins of brilliantly dyed curly locks in your hand, you’ll be tempted to frame them. Each 100 gram skein of super-bulky yarn is regularly priced at $29.90, but starting today, it’s only $26.91. And each skein goes a long way- pick up 2 skeins of contrasting colors and you can make something fabulous like the Almost Fibbonaci-esque Scarf seen below:
TNNA Recap
I’ve been home for 5 days and I’m STILL exhausted- that’s how much fun TNNA was. For those of you who don’t know, TNNA stands for The National Needlework Association, and it’s the biggest event of the year for the West Coast yarn scene. (Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you know that there is a West Coast yarn scene and that it’s amazing!)
This year, TNNA was held in beautiful San Diego, CA. Every single day looked just like this:
Yeah, it was gorgeous.
Meanwhile, while we were inside the actual convention, it was total sensory overload- four days of being surrounded by beautiful, snuggly fiber and superstars from all over the knitting world.
What kind of superstars? Well, let me show you a few examples:
The Ravelry masterminds! (I love that Casey has the same awkward facial expression that I always see in pictures of my hubby. But anybody who knows me knows that I have some serious nerd love.)
Anne and I with the fabulous Chrissy Gardiner! How much do we love her? We’ll be adding a TON of her patterns this week- I’ll post as soon as I have them up.
The one and only Cat Bordhi. If you EVER have a chance to take a class with Cat, do it. You’ll want to move to your own island and design socks all day too. The woman is a genius.
Anne posing with Judith Durant, author of Luxury One-Skein Wonders. She is wearing Mermaid, the pattern that she designed for the book. You can buy the book OR buy the pattern alone at Handicraft Cafe!
Us with Joe Raffino of Southwest Trading Company. Joe sweet talked us into buying a ton of yarn, including new colors of Kareoke and Saphira, plus a whole slew of Therapi, their new yarn that is made with real jade!
Our own resident celebrity, Anne, posing with the sweater she designed for Kristi Porter’s upcoming book, Knitting in the Sun.
And of course, we have to give big thanks to our entourage- Zona, Denise and Kristie, who were kind enough to give up a long weekend and hang out with us, schlep around books, adjust to Anne’s non-sleeping schedule and stop us from only buying green and orange yarn.
We can’t thank these girls enough! Not only did they lend their muscle and good taste in color, but they kept us in good spirits and joined us for some really fantabulous meals, including plenty of Gelato breaks.
Don’t judge- it helped us keep our energy up.
Yay for TNNA! We learned a lot, got familiar with some really exciting new yarn and got our heads filled up with all kinds of new ideas to energize Handicraft Cafe. Stay tuned for new products, exciting discount programs(!) and lots of fun news and goings on.
Addendum:
I don’t know where this last picture fits in, but it’s funny, so I felt the need to share:
I really like cupcakes.
It’s all about YOU
Christmas is over. The last night of Hannukah has passed. Even Festivus is a dim memory. What is it that is so meaningful about this time of year to crafters?
No more presents!
As January approaches, so does the return of selfish crafting. Now that I’ve given away all those socks that I painstakingly hand-knit for my friends and family, I can finally give my own cold feet a reprise from the chilly weather. For the next couple of months, all the hats I make are made to fit MY head. And I couldn’t be more excited about it.
So now that the holidays are over, are you returning to your own fiber needs? What is on your must-do list? Personally, I already have a pair of socks on the needles and am eyeing this nifty vest for myself as well.
Time to order some of that fantastically soft all organic Nimbus yarn!
Sir Links-a-lot
Here’s another installation of our semi-regular roundup of entertaining knitting related items in the news:
- Some knitters think BIG. (Really big.)
- Others are more interested in its theoretical aspects.
- A British newspaper investigates why knitting has increased in popularity recently.
- This crocheter put her craft to work to make a water tower cozy.
- This 10-year-old girl is using her craftiness to make a difference.
- The Machine Project combines crafting and technology to make the Los Angeles County of Art a little more accessible.
Sock it to me part 3: Patterns!
Yarn? Check. Needles? Check. Now comes the fun part.
PATTERNS!
I think the best part of sock knitting is deciding which pattern you are going to knit up! The choices are almost endless when it comes to sock patterns- here are some of my favorites, all available at Handicraft Cafe.
Karen’s Sugar Free Socks by Christy Gardiner. These socks are pretty and a quick knit since they use worsted weight yarn. Talk about instant gratification! Not to mention, worsted weight yarn = deliciously warm feet.
Button Up Socks by ShiBui Knits jazz up boring old socks with their goregous semi-solid sock yarn and a splattering of buttons. So much fun!
I love the stitch pattern on Chrissy Gardiner’s Autumn in Oregon Socks. And those cuffs are genius. So pretty!
Her Bamboozled socks are inspired by nature and very man-friendly.
ShiBui’s Ivy Socks give me some serious colorwork envy.
And Chrissy Gardiner’s Ballerina Slippers are one of my favorite patterns of all time. They make great presents!
These are just to get you started- check back often as we’re always adding new patterns!
Tags
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